Here is the article about Big Boy 4018 from the Denison paper.
>
>
> THE LITTLE MOVIE PROJECT THAT COULD
> Web site first step in bringing films about "Big Boy" to life
>
> By DWAYNE WILDER
> The Denison Daily Post
> Wednesday, July 31, 2002
>
> "Big Boy" is back on track. The massive steam locomotive at Fair
> Park in Dallas, as well as all of the projects involved with her, are
> moving forward, according to Joe Passanisi, vice president of Cliff
> Properties, a local company with ties to the 1920's era locomotive.
> "The Web site will be up and running Aug. 1," said Passanisi.
> "That's the first step in this process."
> Passanisi said the response from the Web site will determine how
> soon the other projects - an IMAX movie and a series of feature length
> films - can begin. He already has two written scripts in hand and two
> more ideas for scripts.
> "If it is as popular as it appears to be, there is no end in sight
> to what we can do," said Passanisi. "We'll find a way to do it."
> The way begins with the Web site. Passanisi and his company are
> charged with organizing the projects surrounding "Big Boy." They will
> use the Web site to gauge fan support for the locomotive and the plans
> for her.
> "We have outlined a $9 million plan that includes the cost of
> restoration and a IMAX and DVD documentary," said Passanisi. "To make
> this goal, we need to raise $3 million from the fans." He explained
> that the other funds will raised by private funding and sponsorships.
> "We will ask for pledges on the Web site first. There will be a
> barometer showing the progress," said Passanisi. "Once we reach the
> goal, we will 'call' for the money to be sent to a bonded escrow agent.
> Should the call not yield the necessary funds, we will return the money
> and that will end our involvement with "Big Boy."
> Passanisi emphasized the project "was not a scam" and that if the
> interest is not there, the scripts will be sold.
> "We're trying to restore a train engine, a piece of American
> history," he said. A movie about steam locomotives could easily be done
> with miniatures and green screens, he admitted, but it wouldn't be
> authentic.
> Once the restoration and documentary projects are funded, Big Boy
> will be restored. A top team of railroad engine restorers from Chicago
> will do the work, Passanisi said. The restoration project would be
> filmed for an IMAX movie with director Stephen Low.
> "He's the Steven Spielberg of IMAX," said Oliver McElroy, president
> of Clift Properties and owner of the two "Big Boy" scripts. "This is
> very big."
> According to McElroy, Low has pledged more than $3 million to help
> restore the locomotive and fund the projects.
> "Stephen brings some serious clout to the table," said Passanisi.
> Low has made about 15 IMAX films including "Titanica" and the current
> "Mark Twain's America."
> According to Passanisi, the Canadian filmmaker told him that trains
> are extremely photogenic and that his idea is to feature the restoration
> and show the history of trains in tandem.
> "The restoration will take about 18 months," said Passanisi. "And
> we will wait until we get the train restored before moving forward with
> any of the movie projects." The IMAX documentary would be shot and
> released before the full length film would be done.
> The 4-8-8-4 Model steam locomotive is at the Age of Steam Museum at
> Fair Park where it has been for the last 33 years. The museum owns the
> storied engine - it moved troops across the Rockies during World War II
> - and will work with Clift on the projects.
> "They are great people to work with," he said.
> In addition to the possible restoration site at Fair Park, the job
> could be done in tow other Dallas locations or possibly in the
> Sherman-Denison area, Passanisi added.
> "If it's done here, the old Safeway building in Denison is among
> several possibilities," said Passanisi. "Or we might build a temporary
> building here to do the work." Once the train is restored and the IMAX
> documentary is complete, plans for the first movie can be put into
> place.
> "A lot of things will come into play as this process goes along,"
> said Passanisi. But one thing is certain.
> "We call this home and we want to do as much of the project here as
> we can," said Passanisi. "We will do as many scenes of the movies as
> can be done in the Sherman-Denison area." He mentioned Loy Lake and
> downtown Denison as great places to film scenes for a movie. Even if
> "Big Boy" is restored in Dallas, movie scenes could be filmed throughout
> the Sherman-Denison area.
> "Some very prominent people in Hollywood have shown interest in this
> project," said Passanisi. "Big Boy" has so many possibilities."
> McElroy agreed. "My attitude is that there's going to be a feature
> film made in Sherman and Denison and we're going to do what we can to
> make it happen," he said. "We expect to make this film."
> According to Passanisi, the first script tells the story of a young
> teen-ager who saves an old steam locomotive from demolition by stealing
> it and driving the massive engine across America. The plot includes the
> boy's grandfather working on the railroad and the boy growing up around
> trains.
> "We're excited," Passanisi remarked. "After three years of waiting,
> we can finally get the project up and running again."
> Passanisi referred to the "dotcom implosion" on the Internet in
> 1999-2000. Many investors in the 1998 train project owned
> Internet-based businesses. When the businesses began to fold, the money
> dried up, explained Passanisi.
> McElroy and Passanisi have continued to produce a newsletter during
> the past two years to interested parties but progress has been slow with
> the economy and investor recovery. Nonetheless, there has been
> increased interest from the general public judging by almost daily
> emails, said Passanisi.
> "Many e-mails we have received have stated that the fans can fund
> this project if the sponsors fall short," said Passanisi. "That is
> exactly what we are doing, putting the fate of the project back in the
> hands of the fans."
> Much of the correspondence over the past four years has been through
> the regular mail, according to Passanisi. Letters come from all over
> the world including a Englishman whose father made it through
> chemotherapy by focusing on the newsletter and a Texas boy who braved
> painful surgery by following the train's progress.
> "It hs touched us and motivated us in the quest," said Passanisi.
> "The Big Boy is truly the physical embodiment of 'The Little Train that
> Could.' It has stunned us that something so American can maintain such
> a worldwide appeal."
> For more information on the BIG BOY projects or to make a pledge,
> visit the official Web site, www.bigboy4018.com, beginning Thursday,
> Aug.1.


jimhollis@ev1.net

As I said on other boards, this just goes to show you that P.T. Barnum is alive and well. Or, as another poster said, ‘a fool and his money...’

I canÂ’t imagine any legitimate movie project asking for donations from the public as a whole to make the movie. The problem is that there is probably a whole new set of turkeys out there that havenÂ’t heard about these guys and will donate money all over again, just to get burned in the end. It is obvious from reading the article that the reporter didnÂ’t do his homework on this project.

I donÂ’t understand why the Age of Steam folks havenÂ’t put an end to this lunacy. Rare is the time that I will criticize a volunteer organization such as AOS, but I think they have it coming to them in this case. It is time for AOS to stop the madness.

For those that don’t remember the mess from a couple of years ago, there is NO railroad in the Dallas area that is going to even THINK about letting an engine the size of 4018 on their tracks and AOS doesn’t have the trackage to make it happen. Never mind the fact that acknowledged big steam experts and railroad officials have already said, in the simplest of terms, “No”.

It absolutely kills me that there are PROVEN groups out there (3751, 4449, 1522, 765, 819, the list is too long to mention them all) that could put such money to far better use than this pipe dream in Dallas.

DonÂ’t get me wrong. I am NOT anti-steam, anti-preservation or anti-restoration. I support several of the main line engines and historical groups out there with my $$$$, and will continue to do so. But, when this thing goes down the tubes again (and I am predicting that it will), the legitimate steam groups out there will be the ones that will suffer.

And that is wrong.

Regards,
Burlington John


Burlington Route Historical Society
BurlingtonJohn@trainorders.com

> As I said on other boards, this just goes to
> show you that P.T. Barnum is alive and well.
> Or, as another poster said, ‘a fool and his
> money...Â’

Here Here. Of course if these guys are doing the paperwork as well as the publicity, I would wonder if they have a legitimate organization set-up. If not, perhaps the texas atty general or IRS would be interested

> I canÂ’t imagine any legitimate movie project
> asking for donations from the public as a
> whole to make the movie.

True. Hollywood drops nine million like most people drop a buck in a soda machine. If its a legitimate project, nobody would need to donate. For that matter donate my %^% movies make money. If they want to make money, I want a piece of the action, I'llgive you money when you give me stock.

>The problem is that there is probably a whole >new set of turkeys out there that havenÂ’t heard >about these guys and will donate money all over >again,

Thats why this board is great.. you got the good the bad the ugly in plain view. Unfortunately, we can't help the chronically stupid.

> just to get burned in the end. It is obvious
> from reading the article that the reporter
> didnÂ’t do his homework on this project.

Happens all the time.

> I donÂ’t understand why the Age of Steam
> folks havenÂ’t put an end to this lunacy.

Who said there's no such thing as bad publicity?

> Rare is the time that I will criticize a
> volunteer organization such as AOS, but I
> think they have it coming to them in this
> case. It is time for AOS to stop the
> madness.

Let em have it when they deserve it!!!



superheater@beer.com

If the purveyors of this scam think there's an extra $3 million to be had from railfans or the rail preservation community, they're sorely mistaken. It's a difficult proposition for viable operations to get "railfans" to spring for a ticket to ride, let alone donations to fund a restoration of such magnitude. The sad thing is that a few naive souls will donate and get nothing in return.

davew833@yahoo.com